Sicily Guide
As promised, following my highly requested Puglia Guide is my Sicily guide! We visited Sicily after getting married in Puglia and kicking off our mini-moon there. I will definitely admit that part of me wishes we had stayed in Puglia longer to see more of the region and also move around less. In my 20’s I loved being go, go, go! when traveling, but now I prefer not having to unpack and repack every day and would rather avoid jumping on a plane or train too frequently.
However, at the end of the day I’m very happy we decided to visit Sicily. The most frequent question I got was whether I preferred Puglia or Sicily, and the answer is it’s really hard to say because it’s truly an apples-to-oranges comparison! If you have time, I would really suggest you break them into two entirely separate trips. Read on for all the details on our time in Sicily – what we did, saw, ate, and what we wished we knew before our trip!
Sicily Guide
What You Need to Know Before Visiting Sicily
+ Sicily is a very large island – it’s the largest island in the Mediterranean sea!
Where I think you could technically see most of Puglia in a week (you’d still be rushed, in my opinion, but it’s doable!), there’s so much ground to cover in Sicily I think it would honestly take a month to see the entire island, and even then you’d probably be missing so much of it. We were in Sicily for a little under a week and barely scratched the surface of the eastern coast (which is where we spent most of our time).
However, there is a lot more information readily available on Sicily online! Most guides will suggest you either visit the north and west sides of the island (Palermo and surrounding areas), or stick to more to the east and southern parts of the island (Taormina, Noto, and surrounding areas). That doesn’t even cover all of the smaller islands off the coasts of Sicily that are supposed to be absolutely beautiful!
+ You will need a car.
Preferably a small one! Although Sicily is fairly developed, with several larger cities, there isn’t really public transportation or a train system to get around the island. Towns are fairly spaced apart and if you want to do any sightseeing at all you will need to rent a car or hire a private driver. I was also surprised by some of the roads in Sicily. It’s so important to stay on main freeways if you can and to be very careful of Google Maps and double-check to make sure you’re on an autostrada if possible.
We had a scary experience at night when it was already dark, and the road ahead of us just simply… ended. From reading various travel forums, apparently, that is not uncommon! In addition to keeping an eye out on the roads, you’ll also want to keep an eye out for the other drivers on the road. On that note, this brings me to a very important word of caution…
Driving in Sicily is crazy. There’s no other way to describe it. It’s certainly an experience, but having a car is really the best way to see the island. The overall driving style can feel chaotic if you’re coming from the states. Many people don’t use turn signals, drivers will pass aggressively, and roundabouts seem to operate without rhyme or reason. Once you get the hang of driving it isn’t so bad, but it will take some adjusting. This article was so helpful for us to orient ourselves with some of the rules and norms!
+ The overall pace is slower.
Life moves at a slower pace in Sicily, and it’s not a bad thing. Try not to be too ambitious with your schedules. Don’t plan on visiting more than one (maybe 2) towns in a day. There’s a lot of driving involved in exploring Sicily. Also, with restaurants and stores being closed in the afternoon, you won’t want to feel too rushed or get caught during a siesta hour.
+ Sicily is very different than Italy.
Although Sicily is technically part of Italy, the island has a very rich history and culture that is separate from Italy. Sicily has been occupied by the Greeks, Arabs, Normans, Bourbons, and finally the Italians. Today, Sicily essential functions autonomously from Italian, the Sicilian language differs from Italy, and the overall island feels very, very different from other parts of Italy.
How to Get to Sicily
There are a few ways to get to Sicily! Keep in mind it does take an extra step to get to since it is an island. From major airports, you’ll be able to fly easily into Palermo or Catania. If you are in the south of Italy, you can also take a ferry or even drive! I would recommend flying and picking up a rental car directly from the airport for the easiest route. It’s an easy hour and a half flight from Rome or Southern Italy, and we also noticed flights to/from Milan at the airport.
Where We Stayed
Where you stay is so important, considering how vast the island is and how you will likely be driving around and doing several excursions. We focused our trip along the eastern side of the island. I would suggest Taormina, Catania, or Noto as popular bases. Although, you really could stay anywhere, as long as you are willing to drive! We debated staying in Taormina as most of the sites we wanted to see were further south. We ended up landing on an Airbnb in Acrieale (a city outside of Catania) for a couple of nights rather than Taormina and then moved to a hotel outside of Noto.
Taormina
We did consider hotels in Taormina. Of course, the Belmond hotels came very highly recommended and are probably the nicest options in Taormina, although there are of course more budget-friendly hotels and Airbnbs. Personally, I did not really care for Taormina. I found the city to be crowded, full of tourists, overpriced, and very difficult to get in and out of.
Acireale
+ We actually loved our base in Acireale. It felt like a proper city with a ton of conveniences we were missing about home after being on the road for two weeks. We were able to stop at a supermarket for some groceries. We also got our laundry done at a local laundromat (about 10 euros for a large bag of laundry). Also, because we were out and about so much we didn’t want to spend too much on a fancy hotel and not enjoy or use any of the amenities. Oddly enough, after being away from home for a couple of weeks, it felt really relaxing to be living in a house and not a hotel.
+ Dimora Delle Balze
The final leg of our trip was spent at Dimora Delle Balze, which may be one of the most natural and beautiful hotels I’ve ever stayed at. We loved the space and the breakfast spread was divine, however, the overall hospitality did feel a bit lacking. To be honest, we kind of experienced this all around Southern Italy and Sicily at the hotels we stayed at. Nothing egregious or even bad. But considering how much hotels are charging per night, we did expect a little more warmth and hospitality from the nicer hotels we stayed at. I can’t really isolate the experience to one hotel or region. It was very consistent over the course of two weeks.
What to Do in Sicily
There is so much to do in Sicily given the vastness of the island, how developed it is, and how much history and culture there is to take in from thousands of years. Depending on your interests and preferences, it really is a choose your own adventure. This list is limited to the eastern side of Sicily as we did not have time to visit Palermo or any of the western towns/cities this trip.
+ Spend a day in Taormina
I know I just said it wasn’t my favorite, but hear me out! I still think it is very much worth visiting for a day. Also, I personally would not base myself there because of how far it is from other attractions and the toll roads (you can’t avoid them getting in and out of the city). There’s a lot to do and see in a single day. Start at the bottom of the island and visit Isola Bella if you are a beach lover. Because the city is on a cliff on the eastern coast of the island, you will get the most sun in the morning.
As the sun sets in the afternoon, the beach does not receive as much sun. You can make your way to the top of the city (the cable car is easy and affordable, and a fun view!). I heard from several people comparisons to Positano. Don’t get me wrong, Taormina is GORGEOUS but very different from Positano and the Amalfi Coast. I really wouldn’t compare the two. And if you’re dying to visit Positano, I would personally recommend just going there rather than going to Taormina.
Once you are in the town, grab a granita at Bam Bar (sadly closed Mondays when we were there) and wander through the streets. Taormina has great shopping, there are many adorable shops and even some designer boutiques!
There’s also a short hike to Madonna della Rocca where you’ll get an even better view of the coast. If you are interested in archeological sites, be sure to check out the Greek Theater. If you need to cool off, head to Grand Hotel Timeo for an aperol spritz.
+ Day trip to Syracuse/Ortigia
I put these together because although they are separate entities, they are essentially connected and you may not even realize it when you’ve crossed over from Syracuse to the island of Ortigia. I would recommend Syracuse if you are really interested in history and archeological sites.
+ Day trip to Modica/Ragusa
My favorite towns we visited in Sicily! You can also combine these into a day trip (they are less than 30 minutes apart, which is fairly close in Sicily) or do them separately. I found both of these towns to be incredibly charming to simply walk around and explore. Modica is famous for its Sicilian chocolate – Antica Dolceria Bonajuto is an absolute must! Some of the best chocolate I’ve ever had in my entire life.
Ragusa is a complete gem, the feeling of walking through the streets was entirely magical. I would honestly return to Sicily just to live in Ragusa for a month, I loved it so much. We also randomly stumbled into a restaurant that ended up being one of the best meals we had in Sicily (after having some disappointing meals in Taormina!).
+ Visit Noto
Noto felt, to us, to be a younger and trendy city. Despite its deep history and rich baroque architecture, the city was buzzing around dusk with many young couples and groups of friends having aperitivo or sitting down for dinner. The restaurant scene was lively and modern. Definitely would recommend spending time here or even choosing Noto as a home base for a few nights!
+ Valle dei Templi (Valley of Temples)
I’ll be honest, I don’t go crazy over ruins or archeological sites. However, this was a highlight of our trip! It’s a bit of a drive from Noto and requires its own day, but you can easily combine it with seeing Scala di Turchi (more on that below). These are some of the best preserved Greek ruins outside of Greece. There’s so much history to explore here and is really a sight to see. I’d recommend the day trip/excursion if this is something of interest.
+ Scala di Turchi
After visiting Valle dei Templi, I would suggest driving to Scala di Turchi. Unfortunately, due to vandalism earlier in 2022, the rock formation has been closed off to visitors and you can only look at it now (in the past you could walk on the formation). The beaches nearby are beautiful sandy beaches, which can be hard to find! The southern coast had the most beautiful beaches we saw in Sicily and is must-visit destination for beach lovers.
+ Hiking Mount Etna
This is a full-day excursion but highly recommended. We ran out of time to do this but it is high on our list if we ever returned.
+ Wine tasting
We didn’t engage in any wine tasting this trip, but I do remember loving Sicilian wine. There are so many options for wine tasting, I feel like this could be an entire trip in and of itself!
Where to Eat
Our meals were very hit or miss in Sicily. However, we were very surprised by the amount of fine dining and Michelin-starred restaurants that were scattered throughout the island. We heard from several friends that their experiences at high end restaurants in Sicily were phenomenal. It’s certainly a great destination for fine dining! Below are the meals we had and enjoyed, keep in mind they are spread all over!
+ Eat granita (with brioche)!
Essentially shaved ice meets ice cream and is a popular breakfast choice. I had this everyday, you’re basically eating ice cream for breakfast. It gets so hot in Sicily in the summer, granita is the perfect way to cool off. For breakfast, almond or pistachio are popular flavors (you can even get almond mixed with coffee, which is delicious!). Fruit granitas such as lemon or strawberry are more popular in the afternoon. I ate this every chance I got – our favorites were at Caffe Sicilia in Noto and Caffe Cipriani in Acireale.
+ Pastries
Sicilian pastries are delicious! At the very least, you need to try cannoli (ricotta filling is my favorite) and an assortment of cookies/cakes. I fell in love with cassata cake – soaked sponge cake layered with ricotta and candied fruits
+ Caseificio Borderi
Sandwich shop in Ortigia, you get a massive sandwich for around 8 euros. You can specify the ingredients you’re interested in or have it “chef’s choice” style – either way you really can’t go wrong.
+ Noto
Manna came highly recommended for dinner in Noto, we enjoyed our meal here and found the menu to be straightforward, with modern twists on classic Sicilian dishes. Would definitely suggest making a reservation here.
+ Accursio
Michelin-starred restaurant in Modica that came recommended by our hotel. Al Duomo in Ragusa also came highly recommended, but we ran out of time. Reservations are recommended for both! If you have a hard time making one, you can always ask your hotel or Airbnb host to help (sometimes they only take reservations by phone)
+ Osteria Imperfetta
Nonpretentious restaurant in Ragusa that we stumbled across, family run and simply so charming. The truffle pasta and caponata were divine. I would eat here every day if I could.
As I mentioned above, you really could spend months in Sicily exploring the island. A week hardly felt like enough! It’s fairly mixed which part of Sicily is ideal for a first-time visitor. The east (where we were!) has more beautiful towns and more archeological sites, while I hear the west has better street food and beaches. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’ve visited Sicily! As always, this is a living guide and will be updated as we learn more about the island and hopefully revisit soon.
